10m FT8 RX (Tuesday)

F2 DX coming through from all over today. It is now 1430z and 62 stations spotted from all over the place on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1940z:  So far today, 229 stations on 4 continents spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2023z:  It has been quiet on 10m for some time now, suggesting the propagation has ended. QRT soon.

UPDATE 2118z:   QRT.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

It is not called "the ship of the fens" for nothing! 

We are lucky to live just a short drive from Ely.  The cathedral, like Chartres in France, may be seen from miles around. As far as I am aware, it is the highest point in Ely.

See https://www.elycathedral.org/ .

Sputnik TX

According to my Facebook memories today I was using a Sputnik QRP TX built by G6ALB 10 years ago. See the photo. I was surprised to get a QSO so soon after its completion.  I think I was chief operator as I could use a CW key! 

Sunspots - Tuesday September 28th 2021

 Solar flux is 85 and the SSN 30. A=7 and K=2. 

10m FT8 QRP (Monday)

At about 0930z I went on 10m FT8 with 2.5W QRP.  I was on TX for a few minutes, but now am RX only. No spots given or received so far.

Shack

At this QTH I have a dedicated shack. At the old QTH I built gear in the back of the garage and operated from a shared bedroom used by my grandson. 

Although I have a separate area for building and for operating, I tend to use FT8 mostly these days and monitor on a separate PC in the lounge. Building and fault finding are much harder now.  I can get to the operating spot in seconds.

I still use the shack for FM nets weekly and UKAC operation 2m and 70cm activity. The shack has probably the best views in the house, hence the binoculars!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/shack .

10m FT8 yesterday

We are definitely moving from a band that comes alive in the Es season to more a band for F2 DX. 

For those with sticking power, there is DX to be found at any part of the solar cycle, although in the quiet years there are often fewer people on 10m making things even harder.

Yesterday, the better stations were calling VK on 10m. As the solar cycle progresses, we can expect more openings, more often, on 10m. It is worth keeping an eye on FT8 or WSPR.

For several days South American stations have been romping in. No doubt those with serious stations will be copying far more than me!  As you know, I run QRP to a low wire endfed.

Global warming - NOT amateur radio

In 1989 seeing little egrets in the UK was rare.  Now they are common. Their range has moved northwards. This part of England regularly had snow. Now it is rare. We were once the driest part of the UK. We now get plenty of rain. We had plenty of frosts. Not any more. 

Global warming is real.

Sunspots - Monday September 27th 2021

 Solar flux is 86 and the SSN 67. A=3 and K=3.

V2000 vertical omni

Many years ago, this triband vertical was erected at the current QTH. It had been up at the old QTH for years. It is probably 20 years old?

It is used on 6m, 2m and 70cm. Apart from just recently,it has worked faultlessly. Richard G3TFX took it apart, cleaned it, added new coax, and re-erected it. It seems to work like new again.

The photo was taken 8 years ago after it was first erected at this QTH.